Gordon Campbell disputes WorkSafeBC ruling that cites him in roofer’s death

Gordon Campbell disputes WorkSafeBC ruling that cites him in roofer's death

By Jeff Lee

VANCOUVER— Gordon Campbell, Canada’s High Commissioner to Britain and former B.C. premier, said Tuesday he doesn’t agree with a WorkSafeBC ruling that he became the “prime contractor” on a renovation project at his vacation home where a roofer fell to his death.

But Campbell said he won’t appeal the ruling, and will review the report “and take what action is necessary.”

Campbell said he’s more worried about the family of David Lesko, the roofer who died after he fell through an open skylight at Campbell’s home on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast north of Vancouver.

There are lessons for all concerned and I hope we will all learn and do what we can to keep the workplace safe for workers

“Throughout this, my concern has been for the worker’s family, for his friends, colleagues and fellow workers on the site,” he said in an email.

On Monday, safety investigators released findings into the accident that killed Lesko last July 4. It said Lesko, an experienced roofer with Weather Tight Supplies of Sechelt, B.C., was wearing a fall arrest harness but hadn’t hooked it into an anchor line. He fell nearly 18 feet to his death.

The investigation revealed Campbell had not assigned the role of “prime contractor” to any of the companies working on the renovations, and as such, was by default responsible for ensuring all the workers complied with health and safety regulations.

WorkSafe said it is considering financially penalizing Weather Tight, and that Campbell would be issued an order but no penalty.

Paul Devine, a Vancouver lawyer who specializes in health and safety law, said most people have no idea they need to assign prime contractor status to a company working on their property, or that they could be held financially liable for any injured workers who aren’t registered with WorkSafe, the province’s workers’ compensation board.

Campbell, who lives in London, said he understands the thrust of the determination in the report.

“Although I do not agree with WorkSafeBC designation of me as the ‘prime contractor’ for the renovation that was taking place at my property, for reasons of statutory interpretation, I do not intend to appeal the inspector’s decision at this time. I will review the report and take what action is necessary.” he wrote.

“I was not aware of the term ‘prime contractor’ as it is interpreted by WorkSafeBC prior to the accident. There are lessons for all concerned and I hope we will all learn and do what we can to keep the workplace safe for workers.”